Australian junior debut for Greta shooter Olivia Erickson

Greta’s Olivia Erickson barely slept during August when she took in all of the shooting action from the Olympics in Rio.

The 14-year-old was keeping a close eye on Cessnock Pistol Club teammates Dan Repacholi and Blake Blackburn while her own Games dream was born.

AIM: Greta 14-year-old Olivia Erickson will represent the Australian junior shooting squad in Europe early next year. Picture: Josh Callinan.

“I would love to represent Australia at the Olympics,” Erickson said.

“Tokyo 2020 and 2024, wherever they may be, are definitely a goal for me.”

The year 8 student at All Saints College, St Joseph’s Campus, Lochinvar, will take her first step towards that target in January when she travels to Europe for various events with the Australian under-21 squad.

Erickson will don the green and gold uniform in the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany as part of a three-week tour with the national junior team.

And it comes less than 12 months since officially taking up the sport.

“It’s all happened very quickly, but I’m so happy to be selected,” she said.

Erickson has been under the guidance of national head coach Vladimir Galiabovitch and closer to home Steve Blackburn, father of recent Olympic debutant Blake.

She was first in the junior women’s 10 metre air pistol at the state championships in Sydney in October with a personal best score of 371.

And earlier this month she went up in grade to open competition at the International Grand Prix event in Sydney and finished third in the 25m sport pistol and fourth in the 10m air pistol.

Two major 2018 events also on the horizon are the Youth Olympics in Argentina and the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.